Chapter 68

Thus, the grandfather and grandson decided on the teacher for Lin Yanchao.

"Grandfather, should we summon this young man for a meeting?"

Lin Tingji smiled and said, "I am already so old, what would it matter if I met him?"

"Yes."

Lin Shisheng noticed that Lin Shibing had been deep in thought from beginning to end and couldn't help but ask, "Big Brother, why are you so quiet today?"

Lin Shibing raised his head and said, "I think about today's events. In the past, I regarded the classics as mere formalities, but today this young man used the classics to resolve matters that I could not. Uncle is right, those who value the classics are substantial, those who value poetry and prose are literary, and only those who possess both can be considered gentlemen. I was confused in the past."

When Lin Shibing said this, both Lin Tingji and Lin Shisheng showed great joy.

Lin Tingji said happily, "If you are willing to study the classics with dedication, your talent will enable you to pass the provincial examination in a few years. This will truly be a blessing for our Lin family."

"Yes, Big Brother, no matter how we tried to persuade you in the past, it was useless. This time, you finally came to your senses, and unexpectedly, it was due to a young man. How can our Lin family not produce another imperial scholar?" Lin Shisheng was both surprised and delighted.

When Lin Shibing made up his mind to study hard, he didn't realize that his life path had taken a turn because of Lin Yanchao's words. In another timeline, he was arrogant and never passed the provincial examination, and at the age of thirty-six, he fell and died while climbing a mountain.

After leaving the Lin residence, Lin Yanchao hurried back to the academy, finally returning before the gates were locked.

The rules of the academy were very strict. If a student did not return at night, they would be punished and their names would be recorded in the inspection book, similar to a school punishment in modern times. In severe cases, they might even be expelled from the academy.

Lin Yanchao, of course, found this very inhumane. In the past, when he went to school without a computer, he often sneaked to the internet cafe to stay up all night. How could modern people endure such a life? But the scholars of ancient times, for some reason, all had good endurance, as if they had severed their emotions and desires, spending their days reading and reading.

The weather became increasingly cold.

When Lin Yanchao slept in the dormitory at night, the quilt was not enough to keep him warm. Before going to bed, he had to wear thick winter clothes and wrap himself in the quilt to feel a bit warmer. That night, it was bitterly cold, and Lin Yanchao could tell that everyone was restless, tossing and turning. As dawn approached, some people finally started snoring.

Lin Yanchao didn't sleep well either. As soon as it was slightly light, he heard the sounds of people getting dressed and putting on shoes. Everyone was unwilling to stay in the increasingly cold bed and went out early to read.

Lin Yanchao also got up, brushed his teeth, and washed his face, then walked out of the dormitory.

When he stepped outside, it was snowing heavily.

Lin Yanchao entered the academy and saw the first snow of winter. The snow was light, white in the air, but turned to water when it landed in his palm. Only the faint white on the distant mountains and tree branches clearly showed that a heavy snow had fallen.

"It's snowing!"

The children in the academy were all excited, and their voices carried a youthful energy.

The outer dormitory students held umbrellas, blew on their hands, and carried their book bags, looking at the snowy scenery on the distant mountains as they went to class.

The snow finally added a ripple to the monotonous life of the academy.

"Yanchao, come and share the umbrella!" Yu Qingzhou called out.

Lin Yanchao nodded, and the two of them walked to the Plum Blossom House under one umbrella.

"Yu, you seem to be in a good mood lately."

"Yes, after thinking through the matter of leaving the academy, I feel much better. I no longer worry about rankings, and I can finally focus on my studies. I don't have to stay up until the third watch of the night anymore."

"Then don't leave. Everyone has their low points. Just get through this period."

"No, my family has already found me another academy. The teacher is a scholar and is familiar with our family. He can also vouch for me during the county examination."

Yu Qingzhou smiled and shook his head, "I didn't expect that I would leave the academy and still make a friend like Yanchao."

"Me too!"

The two of them laughed and walked into the Plum Blossom House, where the plum blossoms were still in bloom.

When they reached the lecture hall, the outer dormitory students put away their umbrellas, shook off the snow, and leaned them against the wall. They took off their shoes and walked in with their socks.

Several scholars voluntarily mopped the floor. Although the academy had hired cleaners, the students still cleaned the lecture hall themselves. Looking at the snowy scenery outside, everyone's mood relaxed, and laughter occasionally broke out in the lecture hall.

The bell outside the academy rang, and Lin Liao came to the classroom and said, "In two days, the monthly examination will be set by the Prefectural Inspector! Everyone must work hard!"

"The Prefectural Inspector!"

The children were shocked. The Prefectural Inspector was a second-rank scholar, and everyone felt immense pressure knowing he would set the examination.

Seeing the children's despair, Lin Liao smiled and said, "Scholars are also promoted from students, scholars, and provincial candidates. Don't think that the examination set by a scholar is much harder than that of a provincial candidate or a scholar."

Lin Liao then began his lecture: "We have covered the major and minor topics of the Four Books and the classics. Now, let me explain the off-topic and truncated questions."

"Take 'When three people walk together, one of them can be my teacher' as an example. 'When three people walk together, one can be my teacher' can be a question. This is a method of breaking the topic, but you cannot break it from 'When three people walk together, one of them can be my teacher.' The meaning must be neither too attached nor too detached, and you must fully express the idea. Do you understand?"

Hearing Lin Liao's explanation, one of the students whispered, "Isn't this forcing a break in the sentence and fragmenting the classics? It goes against the teachings of Confucius."

Another student laughed and said, "Isn't this to prevent candidates from following the usual path and guessing the questions?" As he spoke, he glanced at Lin Yanchao.

Lin Yanchao, listening on the side, was also taken aback. Off-topic and truncated questions were specifically designed to challenge scholars like Lin Yanchao, who only focused on memorizing model essays and did not read the classics thoroughly.

The range of major and minor topics was broad, and over nearly two hundred years of the dynasty, all the topics had been covered. To prevent candidates from relying on guessing, off-topic and truncated questions were introduced. Among them, truncated questions were the most ruthless. Some joked that if you were given "The moon shines bright before my bed, and the small man is often worried," and asked to interpret it, how would you answer?

Truncated and off-topic questions mainly appeared in the child examinations, where the examiners had a lot of leeway in setting the questions. Countless children were tortured by these questions.

Although ruthless, these questions tested the candidates' ability to think creatively and adapt, not just their knowledge of the classics. Scholars who only read the classics mechanically suffered when faced with such questions. On the contrary, major and minor topics tested the candidates' solid foundation in the classics. Therefore, scholars who were tortured in the child examinations often performed exceptionally well in the provincial and metropolitan examinations, where only major and minor topics were tested.

Lin Yanchao, listening to Lin Liao's explanation of how to tackle truncated questions, couldn't help but marvel at the depth and complexity of the imperial examinations.

While taking notes on how to solve truncated questions, Lin Yanchao thought that even if he learned these skills, they might not be very useful. However, the imperial examinations were at least relatively fair in selecting talent.

Wang Yangming, a scholar, ranked seventh in the second class of the imperial examination. Zhang Juzheng, at the age of sixteen, passed the provincial examination and, at twenty-three, ranked ninth in the second class of the imperial examination. They were all outstanding scholars who emerged from the imperial examinations, much like the college entrance examination today, where teachers often remind students that those who pass the college entrance examination are certainly talented.

Lin Yanchao was immersed in the sea of knowledge, memorizing the lecture notes, the classics and their annotations, and the "Four Books Major and Minor Topics." Finally, he had to practice calligraphy.

After dinner, Yu Qingzhou said to Lin Yanchao, "Yanchao, your family has sent you something."

Lin Yanchao went to the dormitory, and the dormitory keeper smiled and said, "Everyone has left, but your family misses you and has sent someone to bring you things."

Lin Yanchao was delighted, picked up the thick package, and returned to the dormitory. Inside the package were two thick winter coats, a warm winter quilt, newly made pickled vegetables, and a string of light cakes.

Lin Yanchao knew that Lin Qianqian was worried about him and had specially sent these things because of the cold weather. He felt a warm comfort in his heart, and even before putting on the clothes, he felt warm.

There was also a letter from Lin Qianqian, reminding him to study hard and not to worry about the family.

Seeing Lin Yanchao's quilt and winter clothes, the other dormitory mates all showed envious and jealous expressions. Lin Yanchao felt very proud.

Lin Yanchao took out the light cakes and said, "Come, come, everyone have some."

Yu Qingzhou was the first to take one, followed by Chen Wencai and the chubby Zhu Xiangwen.

As for the others who were too shy to take, Lin Yanchao took the initiative to offer them. Huang Biyou, who had a grudge against him in the past, took a light cake and thanked him.

Ye Xianggao and others also took the light cakes. Lin Yanchao also took out the pickled vegetables and, following the old method, cut the light cake in half and put the vegetables inside to eat.

This way of eating was indeed unique, and everyone took the pickled vegetables and ate them this way, all praising it.